Cessna 177RG N123LS

Summary

On 2 April 2022 at about 20:15 local time, a Cessna 177RG registered N123LS was involved in an accident near Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 April 2022 at 20:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States

Nearest airport

Davis Airport (W50)

Coordinates

39.2435, -77.1499

Aircraft

Cessna 177RG

Registration

N123LS

Category

Airplane

Year built

1973

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA22LA176

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering on final approach which resulted in a high sink rate and subsequent collision with a fence.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported he was on final approach for a short field landing when the airplane developed an unexpected sink rate from which he did not have time to recover. The airplane subsequently struck a fence bordering the runway and impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. A witness located on the approach end of the runway reported that the airplane appeared to be low and at an abnormally slow airspeed, and immediately before impact with the fence, the airplane pitched up rapidly. The pilot stated that he got behind the airplane on approach and there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.